


Stitches

by ashes_14



Category: Errant Kingdom (Visual Novel)
Genre: Blood and Injury, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:08:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26828626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashes_14/pseuds/ashes_14
Summary: Bleeding in an alley is low on Kaylee's list of Things to Do, but getting stitched up by an assassin is even lower. Practice makes perfect?
Relationships: Raiden/Main Character (Errant Kingdom)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Stitches

Kaylee was gasping for air as she skidded around the corner. She let Raiden yank her into the cramped alley. He pushed her further behind him, backing her against the wall. Raiden turned his head to the side, listening for any guards getting closer.

Kaylee struggled to quiet her breathing. A stitch was throbbing in her side and it was burning. She wiggled against Raiden to press her hand to her side to try and hold herself together. A warm wetness under her fingers snatched her attention away from the opening of the alley. Shit. She hadn’t even felt that happen. Raiden turned back to her with a cocky grin on his face.

“And they thought they could catch us. Ha! I told you I don’t miss, and I _don’t_ get caught.”

Kaylee could feel the warmth starting to spread out faster from under her fingers. Black dots danced in front of her eyes.

“Hey. Whoa. You don’t look so hot. Too much for a shadow?” He was damn lucky her free hand was digging into the wall next to her and she couldn’t hit him.

“We might have a, uh, small problem.” Kaylee focused on standing upright as the world pitched under her boots. She pulled her hand away from the wound and Raiden finally noticed the dark red staining her skin.

“Hells, Kay,” he sucked in a breath, “why didn’t you say something?” He quickly moved his hand with hers back over her side.

“I didn’t even notice,” she slurred. It wasn’t the first time she’d been stabbed, but certainly it wasn’t a normal occurrence. The adrenaline from their little encounter was slipping away and the pain was filling the void. Her knees buckled and Raiden carried her to the ground.

“This is nothing. Just a scratch. I’m sure you’ve had worse.” Raiden gave her a crooked grin, pressing harder. Kaylee could tell he was trying to downplay the situation, but the knot between his eyebrows revealed his concern.

Kaylee opened her mouth to point out that no, she did not make a habit of getting the wrong end of a dagger, but the alley spun without warning and she dug her nails into the ground.

“Come on, let’s get you down to the mages. Some little lights,” Raiden paused to wiggle his fingers at her, “and you won’t even feel it come tomorrow.”

Kaylee nodded and she focused on getting her feet below her to stand.

“Fuck,” she hissed as Raiden pulled her up. She clutched at his tunic as the darkness swirled into her vision. Kaylee struggled to stay conscious, but the last thing she heard was Raiden’s voice getting farther away.

Kaylee came to with a bright flash of pain across her side. She groaned and tried to twist away from the burning sensation, but a warm hand held her in place.

“Don’t wiggle so much, I need to clean this properly.” Raiden’s familiar voice came from behind her. The smell of strong alcohol hit her nose. Pieces were starting to come back to her. Blood all over her hand and side and Raiden holding her up.

“Now, hold still or you’re going to mess up my stitches,” he said while he fumbled with something behind her back.

 _Stitches? What the hells?_ It was then that she realized that they weren’t down at the guild, but rather in her house. Her stained doublet was on the chair next to the bed and her shirt was pushed up enough so Raiden could work.

“Wait! Raiden, I’ve seen your scars. You can’t do stitches.” Kaylee could only imagine the mark this was going to leave. She tried to turn to him and insist that anyone else do it, but it was too late. She flinched a little as Raiden passed the needle through her skin.

“I’ve been practicing. Give me a little credit,” Raiden scoffed.

“Practicing? Oh gods,” she groaned. “Why are we even here? Why didn’t you take me to the mages?” Kaylee was desperately trying to take her mind off of the pinching and tugging on her side.

“This was closer. Plus, I knew you had the supplies.” Raiden paused long enough to shrug. “Dragging a bleeding person around tends to bring the wrong sort of attention. Speaking of which, you fainted... straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”

Kaylee glared at him over her shoulder. “Right, I bribed the guard to slash at me so I would bleed all over myself and then faint just for your attention,” she scoffed, resigning herself to the fact that she was getting stitched up by Raiden. She hesitantly glanced at her hands, she expected them to still be stained, but they had been washed clean.

“Oh, it was an elaborate plan, but that is exactly what happened. Next time just ask me to hold you like a normal person,” he laughed and went back to stitching.

“I prefer not to walk away from a job bleeding. I don’t like blood,” she mumbled the last bit into her sheets.

“You might be in the wrong line of business then, sunshine,” Raiden chuckled.

“No, my job is to observe and get out without being noticed. If there’s blood you messed up,” Kaylee explained.

“I hate to break it to you but—"

“We’re not going to talk about this time,” she quickly interrupted him.

He merely laughed and tied off the last knot. “There, that’s some top tier work. Someday I’ll be famous for killing people and putting people back together.”

“I didn’t think assassins were supposed to get famous.” Kaylee tried to sit up carefully. Her room only tilted a little and Raiden’s hands on her waist kept her from toppling back over.

“You know, if this is the thanks I get, next time I’m going to leave you in the alley,” Raiden feigned offense.

“Yeah okay and you’ll sprout a third eye while you’re at it.”

“I’m sure Lucien can help with that,” Raiden grinned at her. “Now do you want to see my handiwork? Or are you going to faint again?” He came around to help her stand.

Kaylee wasn’t exactly looking forward to seeing the mess that was her side, but she needed to see just how much Raiden had been “practicing”. He helped her over towards the mirror above her wash basin and she lifted up her shirt. She expected to see a bloody mess, but Raiden had, surprisingly, done a good job of cleaning and the stitches were fairly decent. Maybe she wouldn’t have a terrible scar after all.

“So, what do you think? Can I retire and go work with the mages now?” Raiden stood behind her holding out a clean shirt.

“You know, I wouldn’t say they’re the worst. But maybe I can teach you a thing or two next time you need some stitches,” she grinned at him through the reflection and took the shirt.

Raiden stepped to the side and pulled out some clean bandages and gently wrapped them around Kaylee while she was still standing.

“You just said you didn’t like blood, but you want to teach me how to patch someone up? Please tell me you see the irony,” Raiden chuckled as he fastened the bandages in place.

“Well it wouldn’t be my blood now would it?” she fired back as she pulled off her ruined shirt and put on the new one. “Never been an issue when it belongs to someone else, just mine.”

Raiden just shook his head. “You’ve got a funny way of thinking. Now back into bed with you before you fall over.”

“Whatever the doctor orders.” Kaylee gave him a mock salute and slowly made her way back to her bed. She listened as Raiden cleaned up, exhaustion setting in.

“Hey Raiden?” she mumbled.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, don’t get too sappy on me now. Like I said, next time I’m leaving you in the alley.”

“You’re a terrible liar. You wouldn’t,” she said as her eyes drifted closed.

“Well, why don’t we avoid this situation in the future and then we won’t have to find out.” Raiden leaned over and kissed the top of her head as a peaceful sleep overtook her.


End file.
